Nieto’s Career Night in Goodland Surges Lady Busters Past NW Tech
Garden City Community College womens basketball team played on the road vs Butler Community College on Saturday February 10, 2024 at the Power Plant in El Dorado, Kan. The Lady Busters lost to the Grizzlies 50 - 57. Photo credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
GOODLAND, Kan. – Maya Nieto has always been a spark plug for Garden City. The freshman has flashed her three-point potential in spurts but patiently waited behind Broncbusters’ guards C.C. Driessen and Stevi Yancy.
The freshman got her chance to shine in Goodland and took full advantage.
It was Nieto’s career-high 33 points that led the Garden City Lady Broncbusters past the Northwest Tech Lady Mavericks, 80-68, at the Max L. Jones Field House on Wednesday night. It was the most points that a Lady Buster had scored all season long.
The Kickapoo HS graduate provided an immediate spark, nailing two jump shots and a pair of technical free throws. She got into double figures with the first quarter, drilling a corner three to boost Garden City’s lead to nine.
Garden City (13-11, 8-11 KJCCC) entered Wednesday 4-1 when Nieto scored in double-figures and continued to shine into the second. Nieto swished another three-pointer to put the Broncbusters ahead by 10.
Nieto and Boxer Conley combined to make six of their 11 three-pointers in the first half.
Nieto continued to be the bane of NW Tech’s (2-20, 1-17 KJCCC) existence out of halftime. The freshman nailed her first three triples to get her total to 26. Nieto would sink four triples in the second half, getting her total to 13 after halftime.
NW Tech showed fight late, getting key buckets from Jalynn Alexander. The Mavericks’ center also set a career-high, scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
Plenty of inbound setups helped the Lady Mavs stay in the game. Head coach Reshad Baker, a former assistant of Broncbusters’ head coach, Greg Franklin, unloaded his full bag of tricks against his former employer.
Garden City’s defense wound up sealing the win against a sloppy Tech output. The Lady Mavericks committed 26 turnovers, including seven in the fourth quarter.
The Broncbusters close out their three-game road trip on Saturday in Liberal against the Seward County Saints. SCCC defeated Garden City, 71-63, at Conestoga Arena in January. Coverage on 99.9 ‘The Rock’ begins at 1:40 P.M., tipoff at 2:00.
